Albus Potter and the Elder Wand
by Powow500
Summary: Albus Potter's first year at Hogwarts, where he finds friends, plays Quidditch, and solves a mystery...
1. Chapter 1

Albus Potter was at the front door of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, waiting to see if a letter would come. He would be going off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn magic. He got up early and waited for the owl to come without even eating breakfast. For what seemed like hours, Albus stood by the front door, with no thought in his head but the letter, and what it would say. Then, finally, an owl flew from the sky, carrying-

"The letter! It finally came!" Albus shouted with glee, ripping open the envelope. "Mum! Dad! The letter came!" Albus' mother, father and sister all looked excited.

"Wow! What does it say?" Albus' sister Lily asked.

"It says, '_Dear Mr. Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment._

_"Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31. Yours Sincerely, Filius Flitwick.' _Finally, I'm going to Hogwarts!"

"What's the big deal?" James, Albus' brother said. "You knew you would get the letter and go to Hogwarts your entire life. It's no surprise."

Albus ignored him. "Dad, when can we get my stuff in Diagon Alley?"

"In three days, on Wednesday," Albus' father Harry said. "We're also going with all your cousins."

"Can we visit Uncle George's shop? "James asked. "I need more Decoy Detonators."

"Did you use the others in Potions?" Harry accused.

"No, I didn't! I swear!" James protested, but then grinned. "I used them in History of Magic! THAT subject REALLY needed an interesting event!" When Harry rolled his eyes, James said, "Oh, come on! I heard you talking to Mum last night about people using Uncle George's stuff in your fifth year! You said something about Puking Pastilles and some disease called 'Umbridge-itis-'"

"You were listening to us?" Albus' mum Ginny interrupted.

Kreacher the house elf gave Albus breakfast while his mother reprimanded James, but Albus was barely listening. He was finally going to Hogwarts, where he would learn to do magic.

The next few days went by very slowly. Albus kept counting the days until he was going to Diagon Alley, which, even though it was only three days, seemed to take forever. James kept telling him he would be in Slytherin house, which did nothing to improve his mood. It was hard to sleep, either because he was so excited about going to Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, or because James kept stealing Lily's pygmy puff and putting it under Albus' blanket, where it rolled around, making high-pitched squeaks.

"WILL YOU STOP IT, JAMES!" Albus shouted on Tuesday night at ten o' clock, when he groped around for the pygmy puff, which was still squeaking. "I can't get to sleep with you stuffing this under my pillow every night!"

James laughed, and shouted, "I'm getting you ready for what Fred, Anne and I do to Slytherins! Think of it as a favor. I'm warming you up!" Fred and Anne were George's kids.

"I will not be in Slytherin, James! There's no reason for the Sorting Hat to put me there!" Albus retorted, mainly reassuring himself instead of James.

"What's all this noise?" Albus' mother said to him, walking into the room. "it's ten o' clock at night and we all need sleep-"

"I know, mum, but James keeps putting Lily's pygmy puff under my blanket!" Albus interrupted.

"James! Leave Albus alone!" Ginny shouted.

"But-"

"Do you want to go to George's joke shop tomorrow or not?"

No more sound came from James' room. As Albus' mum left, Albus finally fell asleep, and the pygmy puff never was stuffed under his blanket again that night.


	2. Chapter 2

When Albus woke up the next day, it took him a few moments to remember why he felt excited. Then he remembered that he had been waiting to go to Diagon Alley, and today he was finally able to. Albus got up and got dressed, then went downstairs. When no one else but Kreacher was down yet, Albus realized how early it was.

"Kreacher has breakfast," Kreacher said, indicating the pan on the stove.

"Thanks, Kreacher," Albus said as Kreacher set down a plate. He began to eat when James came downstairs.

"You're already down?" James said, eating the sausages Kreacher had set down for him. "It's so early."

"So are you," Albus replied, pouring ketchup on his sausages.

"Yeah, well, I had business to do." James explained.

"Why, were you planning to put the pygmy puff on my bed again?" Albus asked.

"How did you guess?" James said, grinning.

"Because you've done it every day night for the last week," Albus answered.

As Albus finished his sausages, Lily walked in. "Hi Al, hi James. Are mum and dad up yet?"

"Dad is, but he said he had some work to do at the ministry before we leave," James informed her.

When James was talking, their mum had walked in, and then she said, "He'll be back around nine- thirty, and we'll floo to the Leaky Cauldron then."

So over the next couple of hours, they waited. To Albus, it seemed too long. He was waiting, and watched the time, and waited, and watched the time, then finally, his dad finally appeared and walked out of the fireplace.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" he yelled, as everyone was in a different room.

"Coming!" James shouted from his room, and then ran down into the living room.

"I'm ready!" Lily said as she ran down the stairs.

Ginny and Albus were already there. Albus waited for James, then Harry, then Lily, and then Albus walked into the fireplace, and screamed, "The Leaky Cauldron!" and dropped a handful of powder, then he stepped out into the pub. Ginny was right behind him, and climbed out of the fireplace.

"Oi, Harry!" a familiar voice called. The Potters looked and saw Ron, who was waving at them.

"Hey, mate!" Harry said.

"Hi Rose," Albus said.

"Hey Hugo," Lily said.

"How are you, Hermione?" Ginny greeted. Hermione was Ron's wife, and their two kids were Rose and Hugo. Rose was the same age as Albus, and Hugo was the same age as Lily.

The adults then addressed the barmaid behind the counter, named Hannah Longbottom.

"Hey, Hannah? How's Neville doing?"

James found Fred and Anne, two twins one year older than James, and their dad was George. They were with their mom, Angelina.

"Fred! Anne!" James said, running over to them.

"Hi, Molly!" Rose said. Molly was another cousin in her fifth year at Hogwarts, who had a sister named Lucy. Where's your dad?" Her dad was named Percy Weasley.

"He said he has work to do at the ministry, so we came with mum," said Lucy, indicating her mother Audrey. Lucy was Molly's little sister and was Lily's age. "Dad never lets me go in Uncle George's joke shop, so maybe today since he's gone I can go," she said hopefully.

"Now Lucy, the joke shop is for wrongdoers, you shouldn't be in there," Molly scolded. As Molly and Lucy argued, Rose, Lily and Albus spotted their Uncle BiIl with his wife Fleur and three more cousins.

"Hey, Victoire!" Rose greeted. Victorie was in her 7th and final year at Hogwarts.

"Hi, Dominique!" Albus said. Dominique was in her 6th year.

"Hello, Louis!" Lily said. Louis was the same age as Lily.

"Okay, is that everyone? Good. Lets go!" Harry announced. As they walked, Bill handed out everyone's money. He worked at Gringotts. "It would take way too long for all of us to get our money, so I got it earlier," Bill said.

"Thanks, Bill. So Hermione, you, Ron, Fleur and Bill go in Flourish and Blotts to get everyone's books. Audrey, you and Angelina go in the Apothecary to get Potions ingredients, and Ginny and I can take everyone who needs new robes into Madam Malkin's. Oh, and Rose, Albus, you both need wands. Are you able to go to Ollivander's alone?"

"Yeah," Albus and Rose said.

"Perfect. Come to Madam Malkin's when you're done, then we'll go to the joke shop after that." he told them.

Albus and Rose walked into Ollivander's wand shop. "Hello, Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley," Ollivander said. He was extremely old. "I wondered when I you would visit. I'll find a wand for you first, Ms. Weasley, just hang on a moment, Potter," Ollivander said, measuring with a tape measure from head to toe, around her head, and between her nostrils, then started searching through the shelves.

"Here. Sycammore and Unicorn hair. Ten inches. Try-" But Rose had barely raised the wand when Ollivander snatched it out of her hand.

"No, definitely not. Here. Willow and Dragon Heartstring. Sixteen inches. Try-" Ollivander snatched the wand out of her hand.

"We're getting there. Maybe this one. Pine and Unicorn hair. Try it." Ollivander said.

Rose made golden sparks burst from the wand, flashing around the shop. Ollivander clapped.

"Well done!" he cried.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander! I'll see you at Madam Malkin's, Al!" Rose said, leaving the shop and looking pleased with herself.

Ollivander did the same measurements he did with Rose and looked for a wand. "Here. Chestnut and Dragon Heartstring. Ten inches. Try-" And then Ollivander snatched the wand from his hand.

"No, no- try this one. Cedar and Phoenix Feather. Fifteen inches. Maybe-" And then he grabbed the wand again.

"Definitely not. Ah... here. Sequoia and Unicorn Hair. Thirteen inches. Try-" But again, the wand was taken from him.

Albus tried many more wands, wondering what Ollivander was looking for. Albus wondered how many more wands were in the shop, and if there would actually be one that would suit him.

"Very tricky, just like your father. He took a very long time also. You know, I wonder if this would work... Willow and Phoenix Feather. Fourteen Inches." Ollivander said, giving him a wand. At once, he felt a warmth in his fingers. We waved it, and out shot fireworks, just like Rose's did.

Ollivander looked surprised. "But... this wand..."

"What about it? Is there something wrong with it?" Albus asked.

"No, but it used to belong to someone else, and it is extremely rare for the wand to choose another wizard..."

"Who did it belong to?" Albus said.

Ollivander, still looking surprised, said, "Dumbledore."

Rose rushed back in. "Albus? You've been ages. Your dad said to come get you."

Albus paid for his wand, thanked Ollivander, and left with Rose, heading to Madam Malkin's.

"You all right?" Rose asked, seeing that Albus had a vacant expression. How could this wand have been Dumbledore's? He remembered his dad telling him a long time ago that Dumbledore had been buried with his wand, then it was stolen by Voldemort. Harry had also said that after he defeated Voldemort, he put the wand back in Dumbledore's tomb. But how had it gotten into Ollivander's shop? It seemed unlikely that Ollivander would take it from Dumbledore's tomb.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Albus replied. They walked into Madam Malkin's shop, which was crowded and noisy with all of the Weasleys, either being fit onto robes, waiting to be fitted, or waiting for everyone else to be done.

"Another student? You can come over here to get robes." She led him over to a stool, while he wondered about his wand. He remembered Harry telling him that Dumbledore's wand was exceptionally powerful, but this wand had made sparks just like Rose's, no more powerful than her's. It didn't make any sense.

"Your done, dear." Madam Malkin informed him. Albus was the last one done. All the Weasleys and Potters departed the shop, leaving it much more empty. The crowd walked down to the joke shop. Even though Albus had seen it before, it blew his mind. It stood out against the other shops with the fireworks and bright lights, but Harry said it did even more so when he was younger, and all the other shops had black and white wanted posters of Death Eaters.

All the Weasley's ran inside, the fastest being Lucy, who had never been allowed in. The Weasley and Potter crowd separated to the various parts of the shop. James was grabbing Decoy Detonators, Fred and Anne were getting Puking Pastilles, Lucy was looking at fake wands, and giggling when she waved one that turned into a rubber chicken, and Albus was taking Canary Creams. When Albus had bought lots more items and others were still looking, Harry found him and said, "Hey Al, I want to take you to one more shop."

"Where is it?" Albus asked as they left the joke shop.

"You'll see," Harry told him.

They both walked into Eeylop's Owl Emprorium when Albus shouted, "You're getting me an owl!"

"Yes," Harry said. "It would be a shame if you couldn't write to us while you're at Hogwarts."

Albus picked out a brown owl and thanked his father. Harry payed for him and they left the shop, and Albus felt happy and grateful.

"Thanks, Dad."

As he looked down at his new owl, he felt, for the hundredth time, how great it was that he was finally going to Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

"Al, you all right? Your expression looks blank and you're staring at the wall," Harry said. They were finishing their dinner, and everyone had left the kitchen except Albus and Harry. Albus had been thinking about Dumbledore's wand again, and how he could have possibly bought it from Ollivander. He forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey Dad, you've seen my wand, right?" Albus said, holding it up. He had been carrying it with him since he bought it last week at Ollvander's wand shop.

"Yes, of course," Harry said.

"You don't recognize it from... anywhere else, do you?" Albus asked.

"Well, no, how could I? When you buy a wand, it's never used by anyone else," Harry explained.

"Really? You're completely sure that's always how it works?" Albus inquired.

Harry looked completely bewildered. "Yes... I'm completely sure," Harry said slowly, then added, "Why? Do you think that wand belonged to someone else?"

"Well..." Albus started, "Mr. Ollivander told me it belonged to Dumbledore."

There was a long pause, then Harry finally said, "Well, Albus, Dumbledore's wand-"

"It was made of Elder and super powerful, I know, that's why I'm confused," Albus interrupted. "_My _wand isn't anything like it. It's made of Willow, and when mine shot sparks in Ollivander's wand shop, they were no different from the sparks that came from Rose'swand."

"I want to have a look at it, to see if it's been used before," Harry said, holding out his hand. When Albus gave him the wand, he held it up with his own so that the tips were touching, and said, "Prior Incantato."

There was a bang, and a flash of light came from the wand, and Harry looked flabbergasted. "That looked like a disarming charm, but I don't know who could've... Listen, Albus," Harry said suddenly, giving his son his wand back. "I don't know what this is about, but it's getting very late. I'll try to think of a logical explanation or talk to Ollivander, all right?"

"Okay," Albus said, feeling disappointed. He had hoped that his dad would have some explanation for the strange information Ollivander had told him, and all he had found out was that someone used a disarming charm with it. He walked up the stairs and into his room, and wondered, as he collapsed onto his bed, about his wand for the millionth time. But _this_ time, he also thought about who used the disarming charm. He layed in bed, with the same questions as he had for a while, plus the one about the disarming charm. Finally, he fell asleep, with dreams about his father holding Albus' wand, and disarming Albus. He turned to Ollivander for advice, but he only said, "Dumbledore's wand... How could it have belonged to him?"

The next morning, he woke up and saw what looked like a wind-up toy on his bed, then, realizing what it was too late, it exploded, singeing his eyebrows. Furious, he took a fake wand, stormed into James' room, and set it on his nightstand, replacing it with his real wand. Albus then ran down the stairs to the kitchen, where James was sitting, calmly eating breakfast.

"YOU!" Albus yelled. "I AM DONE WITH YOUR DECOY DETONATORS AND PGYMY PUFFS!

"Good morning to you too," James said. "By the way... nice face." He indicated Albus' singed eyebrows.

"Who was shouting?" Ginny asked, walking into the kitchen.

"That would be Albus," James said.

"James put a decoy detonator on my bed, Mom!" Albus protested.

As Ginny told off James, Kreacher served bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Albus saw James leaving the kitchen, and thinking about the fake wand that James would pick up any-

"OUCH!" James yelled, racing back downstairs. "Mom! Albus put a fake wand on my nightstand and it whacked my head!"

"You do the same sort of thing!" Albus argued.

At that moment, Lily walked in and asked, "Where's dad?"

"He's at work," Ginny said.

After they finished breakfast, Albus went to play Quidditch with James and Lily in the magically enlarged backyard. James played Keeper. Harry told him that James reminded him of his old team captain, Oliver Wood. Lily played as a Chaser, and was very good at dodging Bludgers. Albus played as a Seeker, and had been playing ever since he got a toy broomstick at the age of one from his father, who said his godfather did the same.

The next few weeks went on like this; Albus waking up to the sound of a decoy detonator, or even feeding him Skiving Snackboxes in his sleep, Albus yelling at James at breakfast and waking everyone else up, then playing Quidditch for most of the day. Albus started counting down the days until he could go to Hogwarts. He kept thinking of what he would get to do, like make things fly and play Quidditch on a full team, which he could only do at Christmas when all the cousins wanted to play it. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until his second year to play, or so he thought before an owl arrived a few days before school started, from Professor Flitwick, the headmaster.

"Albus, you've had a letter," Ginny told him at lunch, handing it to him over the table.

"Thanks," Albus said, opening it and reading:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We have decided that first years shall be allowed to participate in Quidditch for their house teams. If you do not have your own broom, you may use a school broom, but we strongly recommend you bring your own._

_Have a nice day!_

_Sincerely,_

_Filius Flitwick_

_Headmaster_

"Mom! I can play Quidditch this year!" Albus said waving his letter.

"What?"

Albus handed her the letter, which she read aloud. When she finished, James commented.

"That means you can play if you do well in the tryouts," James explained. "So don't get your hopes too high."

"I'll be good enough," Albus reassured him.

"I'm not so sure. It took you more than half an hour to catch the snitch yesterday, and it wasn't very fast," James said.

"Maybe because you blindfolded me with your wand which, by the way, is against the law," Albus retorted. Whenever James did a spell outside Hogwarts, he would always say that the ministry would think Lily did it. "And one shot from Lily yesterday you failed to save horribly, and you did it without my help."

Albus imitated him bobbing up and down on his broom, as though he were trying to swim.

"How about you both go find something separate to do," Ginny said. "Go on, leave each other alone for a while."

The day before term started, Albus felt just like he did before they went to Diagon Alley except, if anything, more excited and impatient. He kept checking his watch while they practiced Quidditch, without bothering trying to catch the snitch.

Later that evening, he played chess against Lily, and again, his mind was in the Hogwarts dormitory, in the classrooms, on the Quidditch field...

"Checkmate!" Lily shouted triumphantly.

"What? Oh... Dang it. Anyone else want to play?" Albus asked to the rest of the family.

"Sure, Al. You ready to lose?" James asked as the pieces ran back onto their squares.

"Ready to make _you _lose. Pawn to e-5," Albus commanded, watching his pawn move.

"You know, Al, a lot of really bad chess players get sorted into Slytherin. You would fit in. Pawn to e-6," James added, watching his pawn move forward. James had been telling him that he would go to Slytherin for the last few weeks, ever since Albus said he hoped to e in Gryffindor.

"The entire family's been in Gryffindor, James, it's obvious that I'll go there too." Albus defended, but his stomach gave a nervous squirm. "Knight to c-3."

"Yeah, so you could be, like, the Sirius Black of the family!" James said. Kreacher, who had been cleaning the window, looked angrier than Albus had ever seen him. He started muttering insults about Sirius under his breath until Harry said, "I think that window's clean enough Kreacher. You've done a lot today, how about you go to sleep?"

Albus looked questioningly at his father, but Harry avoided is eye. Albus knew that his father's godfather, Sirius, had grown up in this house, but never knew many stories about him.

When he remembered about the chess game, he found James staring at his father also. "James? Hurry up." Albus said.

"Oh yeah," James said. "Knight to f-6."

They talked for a while, James still telling Albus about how he would make a great Slytherin, which infuriated him. Even Harry looked more than annoyed... like he was angry, for some reason.

"Checkmate!" Albus announced, making James surprised.

"Wow, Albus... your technique looked just like a Slytherin's that I saw! The game looked just like this when I snuck a whole bag of decoy detonators in the Slytherin common room! You know... pretty soon _you_ might be on the recieving end! You'll feel like you're still at home except-"

"All right, I think we should all go to bed," said Harry loudly.

As everyone climbed up the stairs and got into bed, Albus wondered if he really would be in Slytherin. What if he was? What would all his cousins say if he were in a common room without them? He imagined all his cousins, particularly Rose, his favourite of them, all laughing in the Gryffindor common room (though he had never seen it) without him. He thought of playing Quidditch against all of them. Albus had barely ever been so nervous, and, without feeling nearly as excited as he did a few hours ago, fell asleep.


End file.
